Collapsible desk for beds



June 18, 1963 w. R. SHANNON 3,094,080 1 COLLAPSIBLE DESK FOR BEDS FiledMarch 13, 1961 INVEN TOR. WILL/4M A. 5'HA/V/V0/V BY P Afro/may UnitedStates Patent Oflice 3,094,080 Patented June 18, 1963 3,094,080COLLAPSIBLE DESK FOR BEDS William R. Shannon, St. Paul, Minn. (23 SE.6th Ave., Faribault, Minn.)

Filed Mar. 13, 1961, Se1'. No. 95,160 1 Claim. (Cl. 108-129) Thisinvention relates generally to desks, and pertains more particularly toa collapsible desk for use in conjunction with a bed or similarsupporting article.

Students and others are frequently troubled with space problems,particularly where they must study in the same room in which they sleep.Resort to foldable tables having four legs, such as card tables, haveonly partially solved these problems, for in many instances insufficientspace remains for a person to move about the room when such a table hasbeen erected. Besides, the folding of four legs is relatively timeconsuming and a nuisance where regular use is to be made of a table soequipped. Consequently, a need exists for a table or desk that willoccupy little more space than already exists in a room.

Accordingly, one object of the invention is to provide a desk that willoccupy but little additional space in a room that is already rathercrowded with furniture. More specifically, the invention has for an aimthe provision of a desk that will overlie a bed throughout most of itsusable area.

Another object is to provide a desk of the foregoing type that can beeasily adjusted to the particular height of the bed, whereby a levelwriting surface can be provided.

A further object is to provide a desk that is readily collapsible forconvenient and compact storage thereof when not needed.

A still further object is to provide a desk that can be carried aboutwhen circumstances so dictate. In this regard, it is planned that attimes a desk will have to be taken with the user, such as when thestudent visits another student (for joint study.

Yet another object is to provide a desk that is exceptionally sturdywhen erected so as to furnish a firm writing surface.

Still another object is to provide a desk that will be inexpensive tomanufacture, therebyencouraging its widespread use by those living incongested quarters.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of theapplication which will be indicated in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an end view taken from the foot of a conventional bedillustrating my collapsible desk in a supported relationship therewith;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the desk in actual use;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of the desk constructed in accordance with theteachings of the instant invention, one of the collapsible leg unitsbeing shown in a folded condition, and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of one leg unit in an exploded conditionso as to depict with greater clarity the construction thereof.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, it will be observed that aconventional bed has been pictured in FIGURES 1 and 2, this bed havingthe usual foot and head boards with their associated posts and legs.Also appearing in these two views is a spread 12 that covers the bed.

The invention itself has been generally denoted by the vide a curved orarcuate recess labeled 22.

While the free edge 18 is supported by the bed 10, the other edge 20 issupported by a pair of corresponding log units denoted in their entiretyby the reference numerals 24, 26. Each of the leg units 24, 26 comprisesa rod element 28 having a pair of generally parallel portions 30, 32.Integral with the portion 32 is an angularly oriented portion 34. Theupper ends of the portions 30, 34 are inturned to provide transverselydirected portions 36. At an angle somewhat less than is an ofisetauxiliary U-shaped section comprised of converging portions 38 and abight or connecting portion 40. It will be understood that the rod-likeelement 28 in each instance is formed of a single piece of material,such as steel, which is readily bent into the configuration that hasbeen shown.

Inasmuch as the two leg units 24, 26 are to be collapsible or foldedwith respect to the panel 16, these leg units are pivotally connected tothe underside of the panel 16 by a plurality of U-shaped hinge clips 42.As can be seen in FIGURE 4, each of the two clips 42 there shown haveoutwardly issuing ears with an aperture 43 in each ear. From FIGURE 3,it can be seen that the clips 42 for each of the leg units 24, 26 areattached to the underside of the panel 16 by means of a plurality ofscrews 44.

The divergence of the leg units 24, 26 with respect to each other, asillustrated in FIGURE 2, is derived by having the portions 38 atsomewhat less than 90 with respect to the general plane of the portions30, 32 and 34. It will be appreciated that the leg units, owingespecially to their divergence, provide a firm support for the panel 16adjacent its edge 20.

Continuing with the description of the leg units 24, 26, it is to benoted that these leg units further include a lower rod element 46comprised of parallel portions 48 and a rubber covered bight or footportion 50. The spacing between the portions 48 of each element 46 issubstantially the same as the spacing between the portions 30, 32 of theupper element 28.

The element 46 of each leg unit 24, 26 is to be clamped to thecorresponding element 28 in a preferred telescopic relation. Toaccomplish this, a plate 52 is welded to the portions 30, 32 as easilyseen in FIGURE 4. This plate 52 in each situation carries a bolt orthreaded stud 54 that is spot welded to the plate 52. The stud 54 foreach plate 52 is designed to project through an aperture 56 in acooperable plate 58, the plate 58 having grooves or channels 60 forpartially encircling the rod portions 48 of the lower element 46. Byreason of a wing nut 62 threadable on the stud 54 of each unit 24, 26the plates 52 and 58 may be drawn toward each other so as to clamptherebetween the rod portions 30, 32 with the rod portions 48. It Willbe readily understood that the clamping action may be effected after theelement 46 for each leg unit has been properly extended with respect tothe portions 30, 32 for the height of the particular bed 10* for whichthe desk 14 is to be associated.

Having presented the above information, the use of my collapsible desk14 should be easily understood. Briefly, however, the student or otheruser of the desk 14 will adjust the leg units 24, 26 for the particularheight of the bed 10 or other article, as alluded to in the precedingparagraph. This can be readily accomplished with the edge 18 resting onthe top of the bed 10 substantially as depicted in FIGURES 1 and 2. Withthe edge 18 so supported, then the wing nuts 62 for each leg unit can beloosened so as to permit the rod element 46 of each leg unit to betelescopically moved with respect to the grooves 60 'of the plate 58.When the proper degree of projection or extension exists, then the wingnuts 62 are tightened and left in a tightened conditions for allsubsequent uses with the same bed 10.

When the desk is to be stored, one only has to fold each leg unit 24, 26into the confronting relationship shown of the leg unit 24 in FIGURE 3.Both leg units 24, 26 are not shown in a folded condition in this viewfor the simple reason that the difference in positions reveals in abetter manner the construction of these leg units. To complete thefolding operation that has been inaugurated in FIGURE 3, one only has topivot the other leg unit 26 into an overlying relationship with thealready folded leg unit 24. It will be noted that when so folded, owingto the recess 22, the desk 14 can be readily carried from place toplace. However, when the desk is erected, the recess 22 permits thestudent or user to position himself closer to the center of the deskthan would otherwise be possible. Thus, it will be recognized that therecess 22 fulfills a dual purpose.

Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the desk 14 will find especialutility where very little room exists for employing a conventionaltable. It is to be particularly observed that the panel 16 is maintainedin a relatively firm condition by reason of the support 18 on the beditself. This support is augmented by virtue of the leg units 24, 26 sothat the entire panel 16 is kept at the proper elevation and also in acondition that will resist movement during actual use, the resistance tomovement being supplemented by the divergence of the leg units 24, 26 asthey appear in FIGURE 2.

In practice, suitable swivel clamps or the like would be fastened to theunderside of the of the panel 16 and would engage the portions 40 inorder to maintain the leg units 24, 26 in a fixed, downwardly projectingposition during use. Likewise, similar clamps would be used for engagingone portion 48 (or other portion) of each leg unit to hold the leg unitsin a folded condition when not is use. However, for the sake of drawingsimplicity these clamps have been omitted.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of the invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the followingclaim is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features ofthe invention herein described and all statements of the scope of theinvention which, as a matter of language, might be said to falltherebetween.

What is claimed:

A collapsible desk of the character described comprising a panel memberproviding a generally flat writing surface, said member having one freeedge for resting on a bed, a pair of telescoping leg units eachincluding a first element hingedly connected to the underside of saidpanel member adjacent the opposite edge thereof and pivotal into onedownwardly projecting position, each first element having a pair ofgenerally parallel spaced portions, each leg unit further including asecond element having a pair of generally parallel portions spacedsubstantially the same distance apart as the parallel portions of saidfirst element, said legs being adapted to have substantially pointcontact with the floor subjacent said opposite edge of said panel memberfor pivotal movement, and respective means for clamping the adjacentparallel portions of the first and second elements of each leg unittogether to adjust the height of said opposite edge to substantiallythat of said one edge, said respective clamping means including a firstplate extending between the parallel portions of each first element, asecond plate overlying the parallel portions of each second element, anda threaded element and nut for urging each of said first and secondplates toward each other to clamp the corresponding parallel portions ofsaid leg units together and thereby adjust the height of said oppositeedge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS623,143 Doty Apr. 18, 1889 561,779 Feely June 9, 1896 590,872 AllenSept. 28, 1897 1,208,885 Alderman et al. Dec. 19, 1916 1,599,247Ridabock Sept. 7, 1926 7 1,709,928 Whitney Apr. 23, 1929 1,924,945 KlotzAug. 29, 1933 2,323,423 Schmidt et al. July 6, 1943 2,426,573 AlderferAug. 26, 1947 2,493,170 Stiff et al. Jan. 3, 1950 2,630,360 McGinleyMar. 3, 1953 2,845,316 Bailey July 29, 1958 2,977,169 Geller Mar. 28,1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 911,066 France June 27, 1946 527,853 Belgium Apr.30, 1954

